


Black Hole Sun

by LaLunaBitch



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: (somewhat? I just felt like fleshing out the royal courts of the galaxy), AU - Alderaan is never destroyed, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Ben Solo is a precious human being I swear to it, Ben never goes dark, But if you haven't seen TLJ yet, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Soulmates, Force Visions, Leia lowkey just kidnaps Rey from Jakku, Leia lowkey runs an orphanage, More tags will be added as I write more, Not exactly spoiler-y, Prince Ben Solo, Sandrat Rey, Soul Bond, Soulmates, The Force Ships It, Victorian Twist, but he still got some anger issues lol, but with good intentions, i wouldn't read this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-22 08:38:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13163289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaLunaBitch/pseuds/LaLunaBitch
Summary: Ben hated her the moment he laid eyes on her.Reywas just another one of Leia's pet projects. She liked to pick up the dregs of the universe from loathsome little planets like Jakku and bring them into the court of Alderaan to play dress up for a while. Ben had been dealing with the court's wards all his life, but this one, thisReydug under his skin like a parasite. He could only hope that she would be sent off to some prestigious university within the next few months, like the rest usually are.Fate falls out of Ben's hands once it becomes known that she is Force-sensitive.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope everybody enjoys reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. I really wasn't a Reylo person until I saw TLJ and I just couldn't deny their chemistry from that point on, and now I'm hooked.
> 
> One thing I really wanted to explore was a royal court system in the galaxy, so I revived Alderaan. In this AU, the Empire does rise as well as Darth Vader, but they never blow up Alderaan.
> 
> Other things you probably need to know:  
> Rey is 17 at the beginning of the story while Ben is 20, so it's not as big of an age gap like it is in the movies. Also, the Jedi are allowed to love romantically and be married, but only to Force-users or Force-sensitive people.
> 
> And, of course, the title comes from the song "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden. I really recommend you listen to it, it's a beautiful song.

Rey sat quietly in her seat, clasping her clammy hands together as the ship slowly descended upon Alderaan. Glancing out the spacecraft's window, the girl nearly gasped. "I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy," she murmured to herself at the view of the flourishing planet.  
  
Princess Leia smiled softly at the girl. Her heart flooded with warmth at the sight of her amazement. She was glad she had stumbled across the little scavenger on Jakku while she was searching for the Millennium Falcon. She had been so helpful and kind, unlike the other locals. The princess had been on the hunt for her husband's old ship as a wedding anniversary present. Their marriage had always been strained; Han wasn't fit for royal court, but Leia loved him still, and wanted to make him happy. She knew that having the Falcon back in his possession would delight him and Chewbacca beyond belief.  
  
Rey certainly wasn't the first orphan Leia had picked up over the years, but she was definitely the hardest to obtain. The girl had refused her offer to come to Alderaan altogether at first; she had claimed that she was waiting on her family, that they would be back. If she left, what would happen when they showed up and she wasn't there?  
  
Leia had sensed immediately that this was a delusion in the girl's mind. No one was coming for her and no one would miss her if she left, not even that disgusting Unkar Plutt that owned her. So the princess bided her time, held her tongue. She knew she had to usher the girl back to Alderaan, and she would find out how. Once Leia mentioned that the ship was the Falcon, and that it was for Han Solo himself, all bets were off. She had expected Rey to ramble on about war heroes and old tales from the insidious Empire, but instead, the teen was in awe of Han's smuggling skills.  
  
_"How about you come meet him? He's my husband. I could introduce you to him,"_ Leia had slyly suggested. She thought Rey might burst from her skin, she was so excited.  
  
_"I would love to, but...I need to come back. For my family."_  
  
_"Oh, don't worry, my dear! After a few days, I can have you sent back to Jakku,"_ Leia had assured the teen. But that was a lie. Leia had no plans to ever return to the desolate spit of a planet that was Jakku, and she definitely would never take a girl as kind and as beautiful Rey back there.  
  
The princess could just envision Rey blossoming in the court, gallivanting around in ball gowns and fine jewelry and never having to go hungry again. If she wanted, Leia could send her off to the finest academies of the galaxy, give her everything she ever needed or desired.  
  
The ship landed smoothly and Rey nearly jolted from her seat. "When do I get to meet Han?" She asked excitedly.  
  
Leia grinned at the girl's enthusiasm. "Don't worry," she replied and set a hand over Rey's tanned arm. "Once we get you all cleaned up, you can meet him and everybody else tonight."  
  
"Everybody else?" Rey's smile dropped a little bit. Leia got the feeling that while Rey was an open and polite girl, she didn't generally trust other people. It's a miracle she didn't grow up a wild child on Jakku, but at least she had good instincts.  
  
"Of course," Leia chuckled lightly, trying to relieve the tension threading through the scavenger. "I have a rather large court, but you don't have to meet them all." She gave Rey's arm a reassuring squeeze, which earned her a small smile. "You'll love it here," Leia insisted. "I just know it."

 

* * *

  
Rey felt foreign on this beautiful planet. When they landed, she was immediately escorted into a fresher and scrubbed of her grime and dirt. The droids had tried forcing new clothing upon her, but Rey refused, preferring her normal attire. They also put some liquid in her hair that made it soft and wavy, but after ten minutes of running her fingers through her newfound locks, she put it back in her usual three buns, finding comfort in the old hairstyle. It was practical and self-serving, unlike many things on Alderaan.  
  
Like painting. Tapestries and landscapes lined the gargantuan corridors of Leia's home castle, depicting peaceful scenes of meadows and the bloody battles of the Jedi before the Empire nearly wiped them all out. Rey admired the stories of the old Force-users, even if they were only skewed and dramatized rumors she had heard from traders on Jakku.  
  
Leia had to leave to attend to some business, leaving Rey with a spazzy droid named C-3PO, but the princess promised that she would be back soon.  
  
"So, the princess tells that me you're from Jakku?" C-3PO asked as he lead her to her room.  
  
The droid's voice sounded distant in the back of Rey's mind. She's too focused on examining every work of art she passes by--except the sculptures, she tends to avert her gaze from those. They're all naked.  
  
"Yes," the teen replied belatedly. A few people dressed in fancy robes and gowns mill about, all of them eyeing Rey with curiosity.  
  
"What's it like? I know Princess Leia found Master Han's ship there, so I can't imagine it to be the best place in the galaxy."  
  
Rey chuckled softly at the droid's lack of manners. "You're quite right, it isn't," she responded. Avoiding the inquisitive stares coming from the people nearby, Rey instinctively reached for her staff, only to remember that she had left it behind. She frowned to herself, a deep sorrow burrowing in her chest. That old stick had been with her through thick and thin for the past ten years on Jakku; its absence made her feel naked.  
  
Clearing her throat, Rey supplied, "I actually helped Princess Leia find the Falcon. It was in the possession of this rather nasty being called Unkar Plutt."  
  
"Oh my!" C-3PO exclaimed, sounding deeply concerned. "He sounds like an awful man. Thankfully, the ship is back in the hands of its rightful owner now."  
  
" _3PO!_ " a booming voice from down the corridor called.  
  
A man dressed in Jedi-style garb approached, lightsaber hilt swinging on his belt. Rey felt her heart swell with awe at the sight. A _real life Jedi_ was there, right in front of her.  
  
"3PO, have you seen my mother?" The man asked as he approached. He was infinitely tall and lean, and his sand-colored cape only mirrored the effect. Rey sensed his presence deep inside the pit of her belly, as if every step he that grew closer, he grew larger and more intimidating. She really wished she had remembered to bring her staff. Not like it could do much against a lightsaber, though.  
  
As if hearing her thoughts, he glanced over her in one glare, his lips turning up in a sneer before looking back to C-3PO  
  
"Oh! Master Ben! How pleasant to see you," the droid responded. The man--Ben--seemed annoyed by the introduction. His fists twisted by his side and his knuckles turned white. "Your mother is rather busy right now, but she promised to be back in time for dinner in order to see our new arrival." 3PO gestured to Rey, bringing Ben's formidable attention back to her.  
  
"Who is this, another charity case?" He inquired C-3PO while staring at her. He obviously meant it as a jab at her.  
  
"Actually," Rey interjected, anger pooling in her chest. This man would be damned if he thought she would stay silent. She knew she looked shabby, what with her coarse desert clothing and dirt-caked nails, but she had worked hard for everything she had ever owned on Jakku. She didn't need any charity. "I am here to meet Han Solo. I helped Princess Leia recover the Millennium Falcon, and she promised to introduce me to the infamous smuggler."  
  
Ben scoffed. "He isn't much, I'll tell you that." Without another word, he turned and stalked away, his cloak fluttering behind him.  
  
"Please excuse Master Ben," C-3PO muttered sorrowfully. "He can be nice, I promise."  
  
_I doubt that,_ Rey thought to herself as the droid turned down a much smaller hallway.  
  
Tall windows stretched across the white length of the walls, each peering into the beautiful scenery of Alderaan. Waterfalls, forests, courtyards, gardens, all laid before the palace, all beckoning Rey. Her fingers glided over the transparent film, smudges of her fingertips trailing across the glass.  
  
C-3PO stopped at a wooden door embellished with gold paint and intricate carvings. "Here we are, Miss Rey," he announced as he opened the door. "Dinner is within a few hours. Some ladies will drop by soon to help you with your wardrobe options. Please enjoy your stay here on Alderaan!"  
  
"Thank you, 3PO," the girl murmured softly as she hesitantly stepped inside.  
  
The droid departed and Rey was left with only herself and her astonishment. The room,  _her_ room, was breathtaking. The bed is  _enormous_ and covered in mounds upon mounds of silk, along with curtains draping on the side. White wood frames lead to a limestone balcony perched over the courtyard. Creamy drapes fluttered in the calm winds over the archway to the veranda. Armoires filled with gowns of every color lined one side of the room, while a door to the fresher and a few velvet couches occupied the other wall.  
  
Giggling like a small girl, Rey launched herself onto the bed, reveling in the smooth touch of the fabric. She could get use to this kind of treatment.

 

* * *

 

 

Ben stormed back into the Jedi temple connected to the palace, his mind buzzing with anger. _Of course she had to pick up another brat now,_ he thought to himself. The moment he had laid eyes on the girl, he knew she would be an unbearable and stubborn creature. She had dared to look him in the face and try to upstage him. While normally Ben would’ve given her some respect for that, today was not the day to challenge him. His uncle was finally helping him make a proper lightsaber.

Passing by a small group of younglings practicing their battle stances, Ben swept his eyes over the training room, looking for Master Luke. After the destruction of the original Jedi Order at the hands of Darth Vader and his master, many Force-sensitive children stayed dormant over the last 50 years. Now, with the return to balance in the Force, they were cropping up all across the galaxy. Scores of them were being sent here to Alderaan to be trained by the legendary Luke Skywalker. Ben had been one of his first padawns.

“Younglings,” he cleared his throat. Many people of the court saw Ben Solo as a fearful being, full of unquelled rage seemingly unfit for a Jedi. It was true, he did have impatience and ire sated deep inside his soul, but in reality, he was a gentle man. He loved to visit the younglings and help perfect their form and use of the Force. And they loved him back, despite the way the older padawans seemed to be repelled by his presence. “Where is Master Luke?”

The children grinned up at their older pupil. They pointed him in the direction of the courtyard, where their master liked to meditate. Bidding his goodbyes, Ben marched on to the center of the palace. He could sense the girl in the back of his head and taste her mirth and contentment as if it saturated the Force. He detested her for being so jubilant and cheerful, despised the way her emotions blanketed the Force. But the children had seem unaffected and unaware of the new person on the property. Was Ben just imagining it? Their understanding and detection of the Force was simple and elementary, but the Jedi had at least expected them to ask about the new presence.

Ben rounded a corner and was soon striding across the vast courtyard. While the Jedi didn’t have much use for beautiful and cultured places like the palace, the courtyard was an exception. It was originally a hotspot for young couples to walk and kiss behind tall fat oak trees, but when Leia convinced Luke build his Jedi temple here, the young padawans easily overran it for the purpose of meditation. Something about the place seemed intuned with the Force.

Luke sat on the ledge of a fountain, seemingly unaffected by the spray of water falling behind him. His eyes stayed closed as his nephew approached.

“Master Luke,” Ben addressed his uncle.

The old man did not stir, instead staying as still as a statue. Ben should’ve been used to this by now. Luke liked to make him wait to test his patience, but it always got the best of him, even if it was just a flicker of displeasure.

After a long pause, the aged master frowned a little. “I see you have not returned with my sister as I asked,” he broke the silence. “Instead, you bring with you your own resentment.”

Ben clenched his jaw at the comment. He hated how easily his uncle could read through his emotions. “Mother is said to be in an important meeting at this time.”

Opening his eyes and shifting his legs over the ledge, Luke nodded. His tired bones creaked and protested to the sudden movement. “Is the girl,” Ben’s uncle murmured, “the reason why you seem tense, Ben?”

The young Jedi wanted to lie, to tamper with the truth, but he knew better. Luke could catch a lie quicker than he could deflect a laser blast. The openness and honesty between a master and padawan is crucial to their relationship as well. “Yes,” Ben gruffly confessed, his fingers curling into his palms. “Mother picked up another ward.”

Luke nodded. “Yes, I can sense her in her room in the east wing of the palace.” Ben suppressed a grumble at that information. The east wing is perched right over the courtyard. Nearly each room has a balcony of sorts looking into the space. No doubt that Ben will be trying to peacefully meditate and the girl will interrupt it with her very being. “Be mindful of your emotions, Ben. She is simply a girl from some poor planet. She means no harm.”

Ben held back a scoff. She may hold no villainous intentions, but he couldn’t stand the way her being echoed across his grips of the Force. He wished she was still back on her home planet, far out beyond his reach within the galaxy.

Luke narrowed his eyes at his nephew, his lips drawn in a thin line. “Shall we begin?” he asked promptly, referring to the creation of Ben’s lightsaber.

The padawan smiled up at his uncle. “Yes, Master Luke.”


	2. Chapter 2

Rey stood in the archway of the balcony as she watched the Jedi converse in the courtyard below. She could barely see them over the railing, but she could still spot Ben's dark head among the green. She wanted to move closer to get a better look at the legendary figures, but she was too hesitant. She didn't want to elicit an outburst from Ben. It was odd--all her life, Rey had thought that the Jedi were unable to experience any emotion, even that of love and hate. But the young Knight seemed perfectly capable of ire. At least towards Rey.  
  
As the girl tried to grasp snippets of their conversation, her fingers wrapped through the sheer cashmere curtains. Nearly everything on this planet was creamy and silky and so much unlike Jakku. Rey still couldn't shake the memory of sand from her body. Even after being hosed down, she felt phantom brushes of desert wind against her bare arms.   
  
A knock came to the door and startled the teen out of her thoughts. Before she could invite the person in, the door burst open. Three young girls, maybe 13 or 14 years old, rushed inside, giggling loudly. They stopped at the sight of Rey, their eyes wide with curiosity.   
  
"Uh, hi," Rey awkwardly broke the silence. "Can I help you?"   
  
"You are Miss Rey, yes?" One girl with angled eyes and raven black hair asked.   
  
Rey nodded hesitantly. She constantly had to remind herself that this place was not Jakku; she could trust other people here. At least she hoped.   
  
"The princess sent us here to help pick out your dress for the court tonight."   
  
Something foreign and new fluttered behind Rey's ribs.   
  
The armoires seemed to fly open of their own accord at the words. Trails and skirts of every hue spilled onto the floor and the girls squealed in delight. One sat Rey on the bed while the other two dove into the mess of dresses, bickering over which she would try on first.   
  
"You certainly can't wear your hair like this tonight," the dark-haired girl muttered to herself as she ripped through Rey's buns.   
  
Rey hissed and yelped at the sensation of her hair being yanked. "Be _careful!_ " she groaned.   
  
"Oh, are you tender-headed? Sorry, Miss Rey."   
  
The teen sighed and rubbed her fingers into her temple. She stayed still as the girl began toying with her brown locks.   
  
"What are your names?" Rey asked through grit teeth. She could feel a few knots in her hair being torn from her skull.   
  
The girl with black hair was Twyla, and her two companions were Amaya and Zoras.   
  
"And you girls live here, in the palace?" Rey could hear fabric shuffling against the wood floor behind her.   
  
"Yes," Amaya said first. She had freckles dusting her cheeks and bright carrot-colored hair to match. Coming to stand in front of Rey, she examined the older girl with care. Her eyes slid over Rey's thin frame as she chewed at her lip in thought. "We usually attend to Lady Rose, but she was kind enough to allow us to help you today."   
  
"Who's Rose?"   
  
"You'll meet her and everybody else tonight," Zoras remarked as she dragged a few gowns with her. She held them over her head but they were still long enough to graze the floor.   
  
Rey stared warily at the dresses. She gulped back her panic and forced a smile. "Which one should I try on first?"   


* * *

  
As the trio tended to the last of Rey's accessories, the teen couldn't help but clutch at the silk gently swathing her body. She had never worn something so delicate and beautiful in her whole life. She wasn't sure that she had ever seen anything so expensive as well.   
  
It was a pale sky blue and off the shoulder, revealing Rey's scared collarbone and arms. She had collected many blemishes and scratches over the years from scavenging on Jakku, and none of them had ever healed quite right. If not for the magical cream Zoras had applied all across her exposed skin, scores of thin white lines would be present against Rey's tanned complexion. The skirt was billowy, but not so much to the point where it looked too fluffy. Layers upon layers made the smooth bottom and the scavenger couldn't help but fist her palms into it. Amaya fussed at her, saying something about wrinkles.   
  
Most surprising of all about the dress was the way it displayed her chest. While there weren't too many human women on Jakku, Rey knew she was definitely not the most endowed when it came to her breasts. Most of the time, they were a nuisance, just something to bind up in the morning to keep out of her way during the day. But this dress pushed what little she had _up,_ giving the illusion that she had a rounded bust.   
  
Gowns like this would be torn and shred apart in the Jakku desert winds.   
  
Gowns like this aren't meant to be worn by scavengers.   
  
The girls stepped back murmuring a few _oohs_ and _ahs_ as they marveled at their work. Twyla had put half of Rey's hair up in a bun while the rest of her locks brushed against her neck and shoulders. Rey had kept her hair in the three buns for so long that she hadn't realized it had grown a bit longer.   
  
"You look _stunning,_ " Amaya insisted before pulling a small mirror from one of the armoires and offering the gilded handle to Rey   
  
Hesitantly accepting the mirror, Rey could barely recognize herself. She _was_ stunning, with plump pink lips and eyelashes long enough to flutter against her cheeks. The girls must've put something else on her face to make it like this. There was only one thing that upset her. "I look beautiful, but..." Rey's voice trailed off in disappointment. "All my freckles. They're gone." The scavenger had grown to love those little sun spots she had earned on Jakku.   
  
"Don't worry," Twyla waved off her concern. "The effect will wear off after tonight, and we left you a couple spots on your collar bone."   
  
Rey trailed her fingers across her bare neck and shoulders. She still had a few brown moles dotting her skin here and there.   
  
Her lungs suddenly felt tight and it became hard to breathe. Was all this really necessary just to meet a renowned smuggler?   
  
Pushing past the trio, Rey stumbled onto the veranda in an attempt to catch some fresh air. While the sun was still high in the sky and the palace was warm with electric heat, a cold chill slipped down the teen's spine. Goosebumps rose across her arms.   
  
Ben was still down in the courtyard, nestled under a twisted tree. His legs were crossed and his eyes were twisted shut. Sweat glistened across his forehead.   
  
Leaning against the railing, Rey watched in curiosity. The girls soon followed her out, all three staying close to her side. They stared at the young Jedi with a morbid fascination and oddly enough--fear.   
  
"I hear Master Luke has plans to send Ben away to the outer rim," Zoras whispered across Rey's back to Twyla.   
  
"And why is that?" The scavenger inquired. The girls immediately shushed her, telling her she was too loud. "It's not like he can hear me, he's half way across--"   
  
"He's a bloody Jedi Knight, Miss Rey! I bet he can read your thoughts from the other side of the planet!" Amaya insisted.   
  
Rey could've sworn she saw a ghost of a smirk slip across the Jedi's face.   
  
"Fine," she hummed softly, indulging their wishes. "Tell me more about this Ben."   
  
"He's a wicked being," Twyla claimed. "Sometimes, all the padawans converge in the temple to have practice lightsaber battles while Master Luke is gone on business. Ben always beats out Princess Leia's strongest wards and barely breaks a sweat the whole time!"   
  
Rey frowned. "Princess Leia has wards?"   
  
The trio gave the teen the same odd look, one with squinted eyes and wrinkled foreheads. They glanced at one another, exchanging silent words.   
  
"Yes, Miss Rey," Zoras affirmed after the tense pause. "The princess has only one blood son, but many adopted children. Most have grown up or been sent to academies in other systems, but Mister Poe and Lady Rose still live here."   
  
"Well, who is her son then?" Rey asked.   
  
The trio shared the same look again before one stretched out a small hand to point at the figure meditating in the courtyard below.   
  
"You're joking," Rey immediately assumed, her voice wry. "He can't be."   
  
They all shook their heads in unison.   
  
As far as Rey could tell, Ben looked nothing like Leia. The princess was kind and polite while the man was coarse and rude.   
  
There was a distant knock on Rey's door but she ignored it in favor of staring at the Jedi. The girls retreated back into the room, leaving Rey to herself.   
  
The wind fluttered through Ben's black hair as he sat silently. Leia seemed like a wonderful woman, and Rey had no doubt in her mind that Han was a ~~somewhat~~ good man as well. How could Ben have grown up to be so angry and abrasive with all these good influences in his life?   
  
Rey nearly jumped when the young man opened his eyes to stare right at her. Her mouth fell open in surprise. She almost felt like turning and running back inside, but his glare held her in her place. Sending her one last scowl, Ben gathered his things and retreated across the courtyard and disappeared into another side of the palace.   
  
Something about the interaction made Rey feel even more breathless.   
  
Faintly, the scavenger registered the sound of C-3PO in her room, clucking on about dinner. She turned to find the girls already inside speaking with the droid.   
  
"Oh! Miss Rey!" C-3PO gasped as the teen walked into the room. "You look absolutely amazing! The princess will be very pleased once she sees you."   
  
Rey found it hard to wipe the grimace from her face, but she managed to fake a small grin. "I couldn't have done it without these three," she praised the trio for their work. They all flashed toothy grins as their cheeks reddened.   
  
"Princess Leia sent me here to fetch you a bit early before dinner to help you with your jewelry selection," C-3PO explained. "If you would follow me, Miss Rey."   
  
Swallowing a lump in her throat, the teen bid her goodbyes to the girls.   
  
The corridors had more people than before. Men and women of every species and age sauntered through the palace in fine clothes and fine jewelry. Rey thought that she might blend in with them, but she was still a stranger to the crowd. Once people recognized her as Leia's mystery guest, they began to stare and point and whisper behind their hands. The scavenger’s neck grew scarlet with embarrassment. She had never received so much attention on Jakku.   
  
After a few minutes of twists and turns down smaller and bigger hallways, the droid stopped at a large set of double doors. "The princess awaits inside, Miss Rey," C-3PO told the girl, forcing her to reach an odd realization.   
  
She never thought she would meet a princess and a war hero, let alone ever leave Jakku. Yet here she stood, glittering in baby blue outside a royal's door on a planet flush with green.   
  
Rey hesitantly knocked, unsure of whether it was appropriate or not. It was a silly thought, but the girl was suddenly conscious of all her manners and behavioral practices. What if she somehow unmeaningly offended someone tonight at dinner? What if--   
  
Leia opened the door, interrupting Rey's string of panicked thoughts. The woman grinned and the anxiety twisted in the scavenger's gut faded. She felt herself smiling back at the princess.   
  
"Rey!" Leia lightly exclaimed. "You look absolutely gorgeous. Please, come in."   
  
The teen shyly murmured her thanks as she followed Leia into her room before shutting the door behind her.   
  
The princess' room was not what Rey expected, though she wasn't sure what she had expected at all.   
  
It was simplistic and had minimal amounts of furniture. A set of glass doors similar to the ones in Rey's room lead to a marble balcony perched over a lake and forest trail on the outside of the palace. Evening sun leaked in from the gauzy lunette and splayed across the brown floor. The bed was grand, of course, veiled with various velvet blankets and sheets. Rey resisted the urge to run her fingers over the material as she followed Leia to a vanity across the room.   
  
"I hope the girls treated you well," Leia said.   
  
"They were wonderful. There were never many other girls on Jakku other than the old sand women, so it was a rare sight to see children like them," Rey noted.   
  
Leia seemed to halt for a moment, as if surprised or shocked by the information, before she began fumbling with the vanity drawers. "Both of my mothers, adopted and biological, were queens at some point in their lives. Padamé was elected queen of Naboo for two terms and Breha was the crowned monarch here before the Sith invaded us once again during the reign of the Empire." Rey could hear the decades-old pain resurfacing in Leia's voice. "While both had copious amounts of regalia, I didn't receive anything of Padamé's until the war was over." The princess finally came across the drawer she was looking for. Inside were multiple assortments of matching necklaces and bracelets. "I had believed all her possessions to be destroyed or lost by the time my brother and I had been born, but the people of Naboo had loved her so much, they saved many of her things."   
  
Rey hesitantly stepped forward to get a better look at the ornaments. Nobody on Jakku would dare own things like these. They would only garner a slit throat and little else. She had seen a few pieces of jewelry at the Niima Outpost, but only by the exchange of smugglers' hands. Her fingers twitched with the urge to just touch them, to just _feel_ them. "May I--?" The teen requested timidly.   
  
Knowing what she meant, Leia nodded. Rey brushed her fingertips over the first set. It adorned some sort of clear stone that sparkled brilliantly in the light and stretched across the whole necklace. The next was a subtle lilac with only a gold chain and a little gem swinging from the bottom. The last would settle just around the collarbone and was designed elegantly, with dazzling aquamarine teardrops falling around the other diamonds.   
  
The scavenger pointed at the last necklace. "I like this one quite a lot," she decided.   
  
Leia beamed. "Let me help you put it on."   
  
Rey turned and raised the hair falling across her neck. The princess placed the rivière around the girl's collarbone. It felt heavy and cold, but Rey couldn't help but admire herself in the vanity mirror. Her fingers skimmed across the gems as Leia fixed the clasp.   
  
"Now," the old woman said as she peered into the mirror with Rey. "Don't you look _beautiful?_ "   
  
The scavenger met Leia's gaze in the mirror. Something warm passed through Rey's chest.   


* * *

  
Ben was grateful that he had managed to complete the meditation over his crystal before the girl had arrived. Because many of the original crystal mines were destroyed or stripped clean by the Empire, he had to focus long and hard on the glowing little mineral. Master Luke had instructed him to ponder over what kind of Jedi Ben not only wanted to be, but what he thought of himself now. Part of him sought out the soothing calm of his uncle's lime green lightsaber, but he knew it was not meant for him. He was provoked too easily to physical action. His mind honed in on the sky blue of the Jedi Knights. Somewhere out in the galaxy, he knew Anakin Skywalker's blue blade was waiting to be called upon. Ben understood that blue was a common color, and many of Luke's other padawans had successfully created sapphire sabers, but he couldn't but help be hesitant. Maybe if Anakin had been more cautious and academic, he would've had an emerald lightsaber to wield. Maybe he wouldn't have betrayed the Jedi Order.   
  
Ben had to shake the thought from his head. Those were all speculations now. He couldn't change the past. Only remember it.   
  
But when Ben's lightsaber blazed forth in blue fury and violet pride, he felt the room go cold with fear.   
  
All the younglings had gathered around to watch the creation and soon took four steps back at the sight of the purple core settling in the middle of icy blade.   
  
The Jedi Knight gripped the hilt harder, thinking maybe if he squeezed strongly enough, he could break the damned thing in half and start over.   
  
_Of course,_ he fumed sorrowfully on the inside. _The Dark must haunt me through my blood._   
  
Lilac was still a Jedi color, but it revealed the wielder's temptation to the Dark side. Ben couldn't deny it anymore. Not now.   
  
Luke set his hand on his nephew's arm, breaking the young man from his intense thought as he stared into the saber. Ben didn't turn to look at him. He didn't want to see the disappointment on his master's face.   
  
"Ben," the old Jedi murmured softly. The young man still couldn't take his eyes off the flickering hues. "You did good, Ben. Step down."   
  
Surprise surged through Ben's blood. Mouth hanging in shock, he turned to look at his uncle. Luke smiled brightly and truthfully.   
  
Taking his thumb of the switch, Ben stepped down from the small podium at the center of the rec dome. He handed his temporary lightsaber to his master before mechanically slipping his new blade, his _true_ blade, into the slot on his belt.   
  
A hesitant applause sounded through the room. The prince couldn't bring himself to look up. Once, he was proud and arrogant and almost enjoyed the way people feared his presence. Now he felt ashamed. He had always assured himself that what they thought wasn't true, it wasn't the _real_ Ben Solo. But now this sick reality had manifested and their suspicions were correct, all because of that gleaming purple center of his lightsaber.   
  
Cutting through the crowd of his peers, Ben let his feet guide him out of there, away from their judgemental glares. He soon found himself in the courtyard.   
  
The Force almost felt different now. A little more sinister than pure, a little more right than left.   
  
Ben tried to ignore the impeding presence of the girl within his perception of the Force. While most souls glittered faintly in the back of his mind, with the exception of the Jedi, who burned brightly, this girl's being was much more prevalent than what could be considered normal. Despite how annoying it was, he would have to study it properly and maybe make sense of it.   
  
Finding a soft spot of moss under a disfigured hunk of a tree, Ben settled quietly into meditation. He wanted to forget today, to forget the new ward and his lightsaber. The hilt seemed heavy and cumbersome at his side.   
  
Within a few hours into his peaceful silence, Ben felt eyes settle across his form.   
  
He knew immediately that it had to be the ward.   
  
The Jedi clenched his fists. He could envision himself standing, Force pushing the girl back into her room and slamming the balcony doors in her face, but he resisted the urge. He had already lived up to his temper once today. He didn't want to do it again.   
  
She had mentioned something before about seeing his father. Ben pushed down the scoff rising in his throat at the thought. She would be disappointed by the greying old man. He was already cranky and disagreeable, but being on Alderaan had made things worse. Once the Falcon was stolen, he had felt trapped under his marriage and duties to the royal court, despite how marginal they really were.   
  
Leia had approached Ben about reaching out to the Force to find the old ship, but he had refused. He had no interest in fueling his father's bad habits as much as he adored the old hunk of metal.   
  
_"...Master Luke...plans to send Ben...the outer rim."_   
  
The Jedi frowned at the words echoing across the courtyard. It wasn't the ward's voice, but the voice of a young girl   
  
His understandings of the Force were still vague at times. He never understood why he could hear certain conversations at long distances or detect people miles and miles away.   
  
_"And why is that?"_ The scavenger responded with curiosity. The people around her shamed her question. _"It's not like he can hear me, he's half way across--"_   
  
_"He's a...Jedi Knight, Miss Rey!"_   
  
_Rey._ That was her name?   
  
_"I...he can read your thoughts from...other side...the planet!"_   
  
Ben bit back a grin. Children and their wonderment. Sometimes it could be so honest.   
  
_"Tell me more about this Ben,"_ Rey hummed softly. The way she said his name made his skin prickle and rise.   
  
_"...a wicked being...all the padawans...in the temple...practice lightsaber battles while Master Luke is gone...Ben always beats out...Leia's strongest wards...."_   
  
Sweat trickled down the Jedi's back. It took much concentration to discern the girls' voices, but not so much Rey's.   
  
It was true, the padawans did conduct mock matches whenever Master Luke was away. Time and time again, Ben had proven himself a superior fighter among his peers.   
  
He wasn't sure anybody would want to spar with him now. Not with this cursed saber.   
  
Lost in his conflicted thoughts, Ben missed part of the conversation.   
  
_"...has only one blood son...many adopted children. Most...sent to academies in other systems..."_   
  
Ben held out on the hope that Rey was here only temporarily. The ones who had stayed the longest were Finn and Poe, but Finn left a few months ago in search of his biological family. Leia heard from him occasionally. Unfortunately, Poe and all his proud arrogance was still here and still plaguing Ben.   
  
_"Well, who is her son then?"_ Rey inquired.   
  
There was a short silence   
  
_"You're joking,"_ Rey's voice cut clear through his mind, almost as if she were right next to him. _"He can't be."_   
  
Something painful struck through Ben's heart. So little people thought he was worthy of being the son of such an iconic freedom fighter and war hero. They recognized his fight and his abilities with the Force came from Leia and her line, but that was about the closest resemblance people would acknowledge.   
  
Anger bubbled quietly inside the young Jedi. He hated it, but it still simmered there in his veins.   
  
Rey nearly jumped from her skin whenever Ben opened his eyes to glare at her. He wanted to laugh at the dumb look on her face as he stood to leave. Feeling her eyes burning across his back, he turned and retreated to the west wing. He had to face his master at some point. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all the support from last chapter <3 I’m so blown away by all your kudos and comments! They motivate me so much.
> 
> I had two goals in mind whenever I wrote this chapter. I wanted to establish the beginning of a mother-daughter vibe between Leia and Rey and then show some conflicting emotions with Ben.
> 
> One thing I wanted to parallel was how in the movies, Kylo Ren is ashamed of the Light still in him. I thought that reversing that and making Ben Solo distraught over his connections to the Dark would be good for his characterization, because overall, I believe that he has much more ability to do good than bad.
> 
> Leia still hasn’t broke the news that Rey isn’t going back btw, lol. She’s trying her best to become a mother figure so loving that maybe Rey will decide to stay on her own, but who knows what will happen? ;) find out in a couple chapters maybe.
> 
> Happy New Year to everybody. Be safe and have fun going into 2018 :)


End file.
